About the Family Wellbeing Study
About the study
This study is based on a quantitative survey conducted between 2015 and 2016 with 1,408 nominated family members of serving and ex-serving Australian Defence Force (ADF) members.
The survey included 273 questions resulting in 1,127 variables in the final de-identified dataset.
The study collected information across a wide range of topics, including:
- mental health
- help‑seeking behaviours and service use
- financial circumstances and employment
- household characteristics
- experiences of homelessness
- child wellbeing and parenting practices
- alcohol and other drug use
- gambling
- early life experiences
- exposure to traumatic events.
A full list of variables is provided in the data dictionary [.xlsx 106.11 KB].
Why this dataset is valuable
The dataset provides a detailed picture of family wellbeing in the context of ADF service. Its value lies in both the breadth of topics covered and the ability to explore how different aspects of family life and wellbeing relate to one another.
Because information is captured across multiple life domains, the data supports integrated analysis. For example, researchers can examine relationships between:
- mental health and financial stress
- early life experiences, family functioning, and wellbeing
- help‑seeking behaviours and service use.
Research applications
The dataset can be used to explore psychosocial wellbeing in relation to family relationships, material circumstances, adverse experiences, child and family life, and broader social contexts.
It remains relevant across a range of research fields, including:
- family studies
- public health
- social policy
- mental health
- veterans’ research
- service system design.
Supporting policy-relevant research
The inclusion of detailed information on help‑seeking behaviours and service use makes the dataset particularly valuable for examining:
- patterns of support
- barriers to access
- how individuals and families respond to social, emotional and practical pressures.
Overall, the study provides a strong foundation for analytically rich, policy‑relevant research grounded in the lived experiences of families connected to ADF service.
Background
We conducted the study as part of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) Transition and Wellbeing Research Programme. The study formed part of a broader body of research examining the impacts of military service and transition from the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
Data were collected in 2015–16, with findings delivered to DVA in 2016 and later published in research reports in 2018.
Relationship to other studies
The Transition and Wellbeing Research Programme also included 2 separate studies conducted independently by the University of Adelaide:
While the Family Wellbeing Study sits within this broader programme, it makes a distinct contribution through its specific focus on family members of ADF personnel.
This dataset
This version of the Family Wellbeing Study dataset is derived from the original study data and has been prepared for external research use in de‑identified form.
Making the dataset available reflects our commitment to increasing access to high‑quality data on the wellbeing of key population groups, while maintaining privacy, governance and ethical protections. It also aligns with broader Australian Government objectives to improve access to high‑value datasets for research in the public interest.
Why access matters
Providing access to the dataset allows researchers to build on the original study and extend its value over time. It enables new research questions to be explored using an existing, detailed source of information on the experiences of ADF families without the need for new data collection.
As a de‑identified dataset, it supports a wide range of secondary research uses, including:
- descriptive and hypothesis‑driven analysis
- policy‑relevant research
- studies examining relationships between family life, psychosocial wellbeing and military service.
Contribution to understanding ADF families
The study’s focus on family members is particularly important because family experiences both shape, and are shaped by, service life and transition. This includes relationships, care responsibilities, financial pressures, and access to support.
Making the dataset available strengthens the long‑term research value of the original study by enabling analysis beyond the initial reporting. This supports deeper understanding of the experiences of ADF families and informs evidence‑based policy, prevention, and service design.
Ethics approval
The original Family Wellbeing Study received human research ethics approval through the Department of Defence and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA).
The transformation of the original study data into the current de‑identified dataset for external research use was approved through an ethics amendment process. These changes were also approved by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) Human Research Ethics Committee, which shares responsibility for oversight of the broader Transition and Wellbeing Research Programme.
Ethical oversight and secondary use
These approvals cover both the conduct of the original study and the creation of the de‑identified dataset. They underpin the responsible secondary use of the data and help ensure that ongoing research using the study data is conducted within an appropriate ethical framework.
Supporting credible and responsible research
Ethics approval is a key component of the credibility of any research dataset. In the case of the Family Wellbeing Study, it supports the continued use of the data for research that is careful, appropriate, and consistent with the protections that apply to participant information.